A thing of the past
by Breathing- insanity
Summary: Rightio- thrown a character of my own invention into Mr pleasants world of fighting, intrigue and danger. Okay so this is it- the fighting start of Miss Ember Strife Enjoy! Oh and romance- how can I leave that out? I can't *sigh* so be prepared as the story continues.
1. Chapter 1

***okay- this is a blast of history about strifes involvment in the war and about what and who she is.**

**Rightio then; she's almost 19 in this- has no family other than her brother; She's close friends with all of the dead men- including that of skullduggery who by this point has already been loured away and in his place vile returns gah!**

**Take a breath- so here it is the prologue of the war and stuff, I'll explain more with next chapter***

**The war!**

The battle field was alive- sorcerers surrounded them, melevolants followers. strife stood waiting for her order to move- her men in front of her; she noticed them trembling and frowned, her dark wet hair whipped fiercely in the wind that was cold enough to send a chill through and into her bones; the blue of her eyes shone wildly in the firelight that wooshed back and forth across the trenches.

She ground her teeth and motioned to her squad "the dead men are in position!" she yelled "we are flanking left- get in close and take out anything that moves"

A blonde man trembled "I can't-"

She snarled turning on him "you can! And you fucking will!"

Her brother stepped out of line and frowned at her- his long black hair hung over his face concealing most of his tanned features only one of his violete eyes could be seen " ember- we're all afraid" she shot him a glare she wasn't scared- why should they be? What gave them the right to fear death?

The blonde cringed at her hard stare "but- I don't want to die" he whimpered

She grabbed him by the collar "zane! You will do your job" she threatened

He cringed again- She shook him hard "I- I have a family" he stuttered

She laughed maliciously, motioned to her other men and pushed him away in disgust, "we all have families you dick!" she snarled "it's what keeps us fighting"

he frowned straightened himself before nodding, regaining some self control "yes ma'am!" he saluted

"we are the elites zane! We are some of the best!"

She turned saw the blue flame light the air above them the signal; "this is it boys!" she grinned "let's show these fuckers how a war is fought"

They all grinned suddenly filled with courage and followed her as she darted left, letting her men take up there positions around the surrounding firefight before ducking into the shadows; she blinked and stepped out appearing at the other side of the battlefield, moved toward vex who grinned at her "vex" she nodded in greeting.

"ember- you ready?" his voice was deep, eyes bored into her face he looked tired, sick like all the soldiers who fought in this endless battle.

She inhaled deeply let the shadows whip around her skin, begging for the fight to commence "you bet" she glanced back out at the field- her eyes scanning the darkness saw the fire and her guts twisted painfully they'd all be there- ghastly, ravel, shudder- all but him- skullduggery she sighed his family had been slaughtered and he'd disappeared.

"you worried?" he asked softly seeing the dark rings around her bright eyes

She shook her head "no- hows things there?"

"no change- I have to head back- gave my reports but-"

She touched his shoulder "vex- we'll get the bastard don't worry" she promised.

He beamed at her put his hand over hers "perfect words-" he gave her a tight hug "see you out there" he winked before darting back trough the blackness.

She turned entering into a tent, greeted instantly by a sour look from Tembrane "my men are ready" she stated coldly- my lord did she hate the man!

"our assault isn't as straight forward as we thought" he muttered without looking up from the papers in front of him

She snarled "you're kidding?" she'd already got her men into position- was risking there lives- her brothers life.

"no" he breathed nonchalant "their forces have more strategy than we had originally thought- they've took up positions and set peramiters- it's impossible to flank"

"what about the dead men?" she growled- mind racing!

He shook his head "they wont be able to bypass the barriers in place"

She brushed her hair back from her wet face and clicked her tongue "blood symbols?"

"yes"

"i can do it"

He laughed "you?" he scoffed

"yes"

"you haven't got the experience- your 18"

She leaned her hands on the table and bent forward her face level with his "and you're a fool" she sneered "I can do it"

He leaned back "how?"

She let the shadows flare- the hidden symbols etched into her skin rose to the surface black against the paleness "I'm good" she breathed "I can break them" she had trained in blood magic- knew the ropes, necromancy only added to the power in her veins.

"you can't be trusted- you're a necromancer and an assassin you're not even a part of the Irish sanctuary!"

She cocked her head "were at war! I can break them- then you can move the dead men in! They've been in that goddamn trench for days!"

He frowned "what if you can't remove the seals?"

"then i die taking down as many of the bastards as I can" her voice was hard- the venom dripping.

He nodded "have fun committing suicide-"

She slammed her hands on the table the sharp thwack echoing "at least I have the balls to get out there- they're my friends I would gladly die for them! And you- you're as pathetic as always!"

He shot her a glare "you have ten minutes-" he growled " at the end of that time I send my men and yours in- if the barriers are not disabled there lives are on your head"

She gave him a soft smile "and if my brother dies because of your orders-" the smile changed turning to a sneer "I restrain the right to kill you elder Tembrane"

He glanced at the cleavers at his sides "you may try miss strife" he mumbled.

She turned on her heel and walked out embraced the shadows for a second and started running- they coiled around her a second passed and she stepped out. Her eyes locked on her bother she nodded to him "hold back until I break the barriers!"

He stared at her "you're fucking crazy!" he grunted between hurling a fireball at an incoming sorcerer

She grinned "they're blood barriers!"

"oh shit-" he ducked turned to look at her "ember! be careful"

She nodded "always blaze!" she yelled crouching low, following the left trail, flanking around the sides of the battle field, she began running aware how the time ticked by.

She could feel the pull of her magic as it pulsed through her veins; the blast barriers were designed to temporarily dampen a sorcerers abilities making there magic weak- she ducked down; heart thrumming loudly in her ears as she rested her back against the side of a fell wall- enemy camp insight, she inhaled saw the glowing symbols etched into the ground at her feet and crouched following them -shit! She screamed mentally they're everywhere!

She glanced at her skin-at the shadow haze that swirled and picked up a sharp fragment of brick slicing it across her palm, the blood trickled down and off her fingertips dotting the floor. she pressed her hand against the symbol at her feet and grunted let her necromancy eat at the death around her soaking it up into her blood stream- her teeth ground together with the pain, every inch of her burned. The symbols lit up one after the other- glowing in a trail revealing her position- she hurled a wave of shadows at an incoming sorcerer shooting him off his feet, sweat trickled down her brow as she poured her strength into the symbol.

They required a lot of blood- it made her feel sick, her eyes closed she heard the rumble of the ground as the symbols cracked the ground beneath her- one by one shattering, she shot her eyes to the incoming reinforcements- her crew- saw her brother! She couldn't breathe willed her body to scream stop!

She couldn't instead she watched as they ran into the barrier- one by one she watched their panic as the magic ebbed in their veins, fireballs swirling in there palms she gulped knowing they wouldn't make a dent, hurled them- the barrier minimising the effect dramatically sucking the magic in she watched the barrier swell and throb the purple haze growing darker- she cried out heard there screams, saw the blood as hits were returned watched their falling bodies as they hit the grass. Caught her brothers eyes he stumbled fell to a knee, she cringed a spear of lightning tearing trough his chest- torso exploding before his body dropped backward grass splattered with his entrails.

She raised her blood soaked palm from the ground anger and pain rushing through her body she screamed!- ran forward the barrier breaking around her as she burst into the enemy's defences and launched a wall of shadow at an elemental, whipping a trail at another.

She stumbled under the onslaught of a crushing wall of air and returned it with a sharp whip of shadows. More men- her allies teamed around her taking up positions.

She nodded to the dead men as they dived passed her, taring easily through the surrounding enemies.

she turned on her heel- fire ignited in her soul he was gone! her brother- dead- torn apart!

She inhaled deeply- hands trembling, so much life had been lost- so much pain, it sunk into her skin, her heart stuttered painfully. death, so much power it throbbed in her system.

The symbols pulsed against her skin making her tremble, the darkened haze mingled with red- her blood burned. She ran foreward taking down an incoming woman, slamming her booted feet into her chest before smashing a hard fist into her throat before twisting, saw ghastly tackling a guy to the ground and whipped away a necromancer who came up behind him. there was bang, she turned slightly felt the ebb of pain shoot through her arm as a shadow speared through it taking her to the ground pinning her down. She grunted writhed against it- looked up and cried out, the armour clad man looming over her the shadows thrashing around him. "oh fuck!" she ripped her arm free of the spear blood spurting hurled a whip of shadow which batted away easily. she scrambled to her feet, boots skidding on the blood soaked grass she could feel Vile's power emanating from his body and ran- turing only to block another spear.

She felt the breath rush from her lungs, taste blood as her body hurtled across the ground. She screamed as she collided with a house- bricks and glass shattered around her, she looked up tried to move had enough time to block her face before the walls came crashing down on top of her- debris crushing her body. she groaned before blackness enveloped her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blood splattered against the walls; the body in front of her torn apart, what was left of its intact carcass slumped in an arm chair head down- chin against his mutilated chest; ribs cracked open, skin and tissue torn out of the gaping hole, heart lay in his hands which were meticulously positioned; palms facing upward on his knees.**

To strife the whole thing seemed rather sacrificial, or vengeful . Strife moved slowly- her skin numb, death seeping into her making her body itch.

She stepped over a clump of meat and stared at the corpse, he was an elemental high ranking- his name she reminded herself was Adrian Droll, she fought with him in the war back before she became an elder- back when it was fight or die- when she had friends and a loving family; back when the world was so much simpler- survival the only thing!

She groaned internally; turned as Dimitar Flare stalked into the room, she nodded to him as he came to a halt at her side, "well?" he pressed his russian accent strong.

she flicked her gaze to him his black hair fell over one of his pitch eyes- pale skin glistened in the florescent light- soft pink lips pressed into a tight line; he frowned "elder strife-"

She frowned at him and turned away back to the body "I'd wager that-" she motioned to him " it was an act of revenge, maybe?"

"revenge?" he repeated slowly

She nodded "his heart is in his hands" she frowned at the body "maybe an over obsessed ex?" she mused

"he cheated and she does this?"

She smiled "droll was known for being a ladies man- maybe he fucked with the wrong woman?"

Flare stared at her, "your adaptability toward murder is awe inspiring"

she laughed "i caused enough of it flare" a smile played on her lips "I'm surprised that you're surprised"

He eyed her warily "you know elder strife- I've worked with you for the last 90 years and frankly you still scare the shit out of me"

She nodded "good- fear is a healthy asset to a normal life"

"normal? How can you talk about normality?"

She looked at him "it's what all abnormal people strive to is it not?"

His smile turned coy "abnormal?"

"well we're not exactly the picturesque pair of detectives now are we?"

He chuckled "I suppose not"

"then again- we could be worse"

"ahh- I suppose we could" he beamed at her before clearing his throat, "but back to the matter at hand- the deceased?"

She smiled turned back to the body "He was drugged- no magic used" she sighed "appears to be a human that did it- no trace of anything even remotely strange- obvious signs of a struggle but yet again no magic used- I suggest you hand it over to the mortal authorities"

He sighed "you seem unimpressed?"

"I am- I had been hoping for something better"

"you need to get out more" he joked

"hard to do that with strom breathing down my neck; the guy is an ass"

"I hear that" his voice was low husky; eyes laying on her as she checked her watch.

"shit!" he saw the panic flash across her features "we need to go- I have a meeting with the irish elders"

He laughed "what and ghastly will kick your ass if you're late?"

"no- but strom will be making a complete fool of himself" she signed "let's just go"

"yes maam" he laughed following her out of the house and to the shiny black mercedes in the driveway- the cleavers stood around the house on watch- their visored stares made her blood run cold.

There pace was quick as strife and flare passed through the various corridors of the British sanctuary. Turning left, passing into the council chamber- she stopped dead at the mass of people all shouting and screaming.

Flare frowned grabbed her arm and pulled her through the crowd stopping at the over elaborated throne type chairs that took pride of place at the far end of the room.

Strom stared at her; she glared in response turning to the pack of jeering sorcerers; ghastly and ravel stood at the side, both looked at her as she held a hand in the air "stop" she breathed eyes switching colours to burning embers; no one payed any heed, she felt the anger wash through her "I said stop!" she roared hurling a wave of shadow across the room; the sorcerers screamed in response diving out of the way ducking back against the walls.

She cocked her head hair falling over her features; those glowing eyes of hers slowly returning to their normal shade.

she could feel heat burn in her veins as she turned to strom "what is going on?"

"I have no idea-" his smile was cocky she repressed the urge to slap it off his face "they all want you"

She glared turning to them "the lot of you get out of my sight" she waved a hand with a sneer "before I send the cleavers in"

Disapproving looks passed over their faces but none of them swayed, "what gives you the right to turn us away! We came here for answers!"

She stared at the small fat balding man and pointed to him, her lip curling back in distaste "you came for answers?" she repeated slowly

Flare stared at him "you should not address an elder like that"

"you have no sway in this matter!" he hissed at Flare "this-"

She took a step foreword; her movements slow and calculated as she walked to him- felt a hand seize her shoulder and shrugged it off coming to a stop in front of the man.

"are you the ringleader of this pathetic attempt to strike fear into my heart? An attempt to gain your answers through numbers, huh?"

He swallowed audibly "that was not my intention" he blustered "we all want to know what you are going to do to keep Vile away-"

She laughed cutting him off, turned to ghastly and ravel "vile is in Ireland is he not? it is not a matter which I must take into consideration"

"that's right- the matter is being attended to" ravel murmured his eyes stern

"wars spread- elder strife; we don't want to have to fight again" he frowned

She turned sharply, hostility written through her young features "I can't remember you fighting"

"I was there-"

"ah but did you face vile? Did you face anyone? In fact I'm sure I passed you cowering in a corner sniffling"

He bristled "excuse me?" he snarled "you were a child how would you know of what I did?"

She punched him sent the man sprawling audible gasps erupting from everyone in the room; she waved over a cleaver who instantly seized the man hard throwing his arms behind his back face smushed against the floor, "take him- before I do something which I would probably not regret" She ground her teeth "the rest of you- leave or else!" she hissed

Ghastly and ravel exchanged a wary glance as the people slowly filtered out of the room; she turned on strom in an instant "what the fuck are you playing at?"

"I didn't punch him" she felt her hands ball- she'd give up her position as and elder to beat the living daylights out of him.

"you bastard- you think I needed that huh? People already hate me- now I'm going to be top of the slagging order so thanks"

He stared at her "you aren't an easy person to like you know?"

She laughed bitterly, ran a hand through her tousled hair and groaned "I fear this isn't the welcome you expected" she breathed facing ghastly and Ravel her smile bright

"I'd be lying if I said it was" ghastly grinned in response

"why don't we go somewhere a little less-" she looked at strom "smug" she chose the word carefully watched as the elder grumbled.

She led them out of the room and down a corridor Flare hot on her heels; her PA a stern woman she faintly knew called Leigh Tome, passed her a file as she crossed into her office yet another case.

She flicked through the papers as ghastly and ravel took a seat on a couch at the side of the room; "I wasn't expecting you to punch him"

She looked up from the papers and nodded "ghastly- you know I don't take shit from people like him-"

"they're afraid" he frowned

She smiled placed the file on the top of a stack of paperwork on her desk and jumped up sitting on the edge her legs dangling "I know"

"do you not think they deserve some closure?"

"no- not yet" she sighed "darqueese and vile are a menace ghastly they will slaughter a hell of a lot and I can't give anyone hope- I can't lie to them"

Ghastly ran his hand over his scarred head "when the fight comes- we will all be in it together strife" he sighed "just like in the beginning"

She looked at Flare "you can go-"

"elder strife-"

"I'm fine Flare-go on" He nodded and exited the room.

Ravel cocked his head to her "are you okay?"

She sighed "I'm fine"

"liar"

Ghastly eyed her "you haven't changed at all you know"

She smiled "hmm- only in looks ghastly stuck within an un-ageing body; but inside it's a bit of a mess"

He laughed and stood walking to embrace her she hugged him tightly in return his strong arms crushing her. he sighed and pulled away slowly to

grin at her "so this meeting" she mused "it consists of what?"

Ravel smiled at her "we actually request your assistance"

She eyed him "with what?"

"a string of murders"

"isn't that skulduggery's line of expertise?"

Ravel's smile turned playful "it is"

She felt her stomach knot "then why request my help?"

Ghastly laughed "because himself and valkyrie are hot on the case and- if they're are correct in their guesses- its a blood mage"

She frowned "there's none of us left"

He shrugged "there was one"

"and I killed her ghastly- its like a poison- all of them go psychotic"

"and yet here you are"

She laughed "I suppose- but Pleasant won't be very happy at me crashing his case"

He arched an eyebrow "you can't pull that with us" he elbowed her softly "all of us knew what you two were up to"

She felt the heat creep up her neck "I don't-"

"back in the day, you were the daring duo!" he laughed "playing more than just detectives-"

She glared "you bastard- you all knew!"

"of course- you practically lived with him!"

"ghastly- that was 150 years ago" she frowned "time has passed and I can't-" she looked at the paperwork on her desk "I have enough problems right here"

Ravel stood up "Ember Strife- Em- come on" he grinned "this is a chance to be reunited with your friends- with people who don't drive you up the wall... Much"

She grumbled "can you remember what happened last time I worked with you? Or the time before that?"

"other than breaking pleasant?"

She stuck her fingers up at ghastly who grinned "I get into a lot of trouble- end up in a hospital bed smothered in healing salve with a shit load of collateral damage on my head"

"isn't it worth it? For the thrill of action? For the rush"

She felt the smile play on her lips "I can't I have over 50 essential cases here in Britain- I can't just drop-"

"you're the British grand mage- I think you find that you can"

She cocked her head "Ravel I thought you were meant to be a good example?"

"not when it comes to my friend- whom I know is unhappy"

She frowned "I'm not unhappy- I'm tired and- yes I'm unhappy"

He walked to her placed his hand on her shoulder "is that a yes?" he beamed "you'll come to Ireland- help with the case"

she groaned and nodded in defeat "sure" she breathed "but don't tell skull-"

"you want us to lie to our dear friend?" ghastly mused playfully "that's atrocious"

She laughed "not lie- just don't mention it"

"what if he asks about our visit?" ravel pressed

She looked at the floor "he won't" she had left him- left him in Ireland took the job as grand Mage and didn't even bother telling him- couldn't tell him.

"ahh- I take it you two- haven't spoke"

She smiled "nope- but hey" she laughed "I'll duck when he goes to shoot me"

"what?"

"I was kidding"

"dry humour- a woman so pretty yet so goddamn cynical"

She laughed "you sound like vex"

ravel shrugged "the flight leaves at 4"

"you booked my tickets already?"

Ghastly laughed "we knew that we'd get you to come back"

"of course- prey on weakness"


End file.
